The Credibility Code: How to Project Confidence and Competence When It Matters Most

The Credibility Code: How to Project Confidence and Competence When It Matters Most

In today's highly competitive business world, being credible is not enough. You have to look credible. Still, for many professionals, credibility feels like a mystery. Now, by pinpointing 25 specific visual and auditory cues, The Credibility Code unlocks this mystery and shows you exactly how to come across as confident, capable, and qualified in all types of person-to-person interactions. Acclaimed credibility expert Cara Hale Alter outlines clear, concise "codes of conduct" for posture, gestures, vocal skills, eye contact, and more. And unlike countless other cues, such as gender, age, or physical features, these signals are within your active control. Individually, these behaviors are easily implemented; together, they form a skill set that can transform your career. As a bonus, each chapter includes a link to an online video of the author demonstrating the "codes of conduct" featured in the previous pages. Discover: How to "crack the code" and project real credibility What not to do - the most common image derailers Real-world examples and exercises Online access to short demonstration videos for each chapter Self-assessment tools for identifying your strengths and weaknesses A step-by-step methodology for developing your best image! People make up their mind in a split second whether you have credibility or not. Ms. Alter has compiled a series of specific behaviours that can help in such situations, particularly when you re not feeling at your best. Many people believe that credibility, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. In truth, very specific behaviours lead us to an assessment of credibility, she writes. Three pillars combine to project credibility: a strong posture, a strong voice, and strong eye contact. The book offers tips on how to take control in each area, so you aren t undermining yourself in meetings with colleagues or clients, or in high-profile interviews to gain jobs. The posture code boils down to five essentials: Keep your spine tall and strong. Stand with your weight balanced equally on both feet. Keep your head level. Point your nose directly at the listener. And command the space around you. Strong posture will make you seem more dynamic, she says. It helps to practise. You can check your posture when you're in line at the grocery store, or riding an escalator. You can take a field trip around your office, chatting with colleagues and consciously checking to make sure that your head is level, you are balanced, and your nose is pointed directly at the other party. To build credibility through vocal behaviour, speak with optimal volume, articulate clearly, keep the pacing relaxed, and highlight your message with expression. For most people, the greatest opportunity for growth is in making ourselves more audible. In particular, watch that you don't speak too softly or drop volume at the end of phrases or sentences. In general, the more crisply you enunciate your words, the more intelligent and the more attentive to detail you ll sound, the author adds. The more lazily you articulate your words, the less intelligent and less credible others will perceive you. The most influential vocal skill, she suggests, is resonance. You want a memorable sound, like James Earl Jones or Oprah Winfrey. That comes with engaging your diaphragm, seeking a stronger sound from below. Credibility also requires making and holding eye contact. Ms. Alter notes that this is reciprocal, so if when speaking people aren t looking at you, perhaps you aren t looking at them. Maintaining eye contact also pushes back at our tendency to be self-focused, and automatically turns our focus to the other people we're talking to. When giving a presentation, she encourages you to copy a sheepdog, constantly corralling the wandering sheep. Never let any part of the room go too long without some attention from you, she suggests. Maintain eye contact with everyone, regardless of rank or apparent enthusiasm. You ll seem more like a leader, more inclusive, and more in command. The book covers many important areas, including how to control your gestures; the derailers that can subtly erode your credibility, such as Caroline Kennedy s ums and you knows that cut short her bid for a U.S. Senate seat when Hillary Clinton resigned; and how to find the balance between authority and approachability. The focus is on practical tips and actions to improve, with many case examples that help to clarify where you can go wrong. Harvey Schachter, Special to The Globe and Mail --The Globe and Mail When Cesar Millan, known on TV as the Dog Whisperer, walks into a room full of canines, the four-legged followers know immediately that he's in charge. His voice, his posture and his gestures all convey his top-dog status. But Cara Hale Alter says the two-legged beasts of the world also could learn a thing or two from Millan. Alter, founder and president of SpeechSkills, says that one of the clear things that puts Millan in charge